Can you imagine being nine years old and watching your parents drive away forever?

In 1953, Reverend James Crowe had a vision for a place where “wayward” young people could find a “reorientation of self.” His vision was a working ranch where young men (we expanded to include girls in the ’70s) would get the guidance and support they needed to find a path to a promising future. That’s when Idaho Youth Ranch was born.

People often ask how, exactly, horses can make such a big impact on people who have experienced trauma. Many people think it is about simply riding horses and are surprised to learn that Idaho Youth Ranch Equine Therapy is ground-based.

A child’s mind is not equipped to deal with the stress of adult burdens. When young people experience toxic stress and trauma, their brains struggle to reconcile their world with how they perceive their friends’ worlds. The weight of those heavy thoughts pulls on kids’ psyches and, often, they reach a singular conclusion: “I am bad. I deserve this. I am not worthy.”

At the Idaho Youth Ranch, equine therapy is available to children and families who participate in any of our programs and services, not only kids in residential care. That includes family therapy, group and individual counseling, short-term crisis relief, even adoption services--because it gets such great results.